
![Mama Mia](https://padilla-media.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/images/metalmariorender.jpg)

I have an annual ritual of playing through Super Mario 64. I'm super familiar with the game proper.

A delightful new discovery has been the [original CGI renders](https://www.mariowiki.com/Gallery:Super_Mario_64#Key_artwork_and_wallpapers) developed to promote the game. This one takes the cake for me.

Another fun crate that I've been digging in is [Render96's texture libraries](https://github.com/Render96/Render96Wiki/wiki). (The [Bakku no Oni](https://github.com/Render96/Render96Wiki/wiki/Bakku-no-Oni-%28Series%29) collection is particularly fun.)

They specifically archive texture collections that were used for games like Mario 64. Now knowing how the sausage is made, looking through these really gets the imagination going. In both directions: Trying to see if I recognize a pattern, or imagining what type of model a texture could be applied to.


Metal Mario & Textures

Time to Boogie Woogie!


Another one down!! This one I picked up so I could have more room to explore compared to my [little moleskin](/sketches-2023-03-12).

![It's a big'un](https://padilla-media.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/art/sketches-2023-03-26.jpg)

It started out with figure drawing dissections:

![Cylinder people everywhere](https://padilla-media.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/art/sketches-2023-03-26-2.jpg)

And ended with animal construction studies:

![Where ya going?](https://padilla-media.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/art/sketches-2023-03-26-3.jpg)


Finishing Sketchbook No. 3

Bach - Prelude in C


"Did I help someone today?"

Let me borrow from [Simon Sinek's Golden Circle Model](https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/online-value-proposition/start-with-why-creating-a-value-proposition-with-the-golden-circle-model/) for a second: Why, how, and what.

At the end of the day, the bottom line is no small line in business. KPI's are a target to keep an eye on. Performance metrics and weekly outputs are something to continue monitoring. The "what" matters.

In the trenches, tools _do_ matter. The systems we chose to implement, the ways we refactor our code, the time spent experimenting with a new technology. The "how" matters.

What matters most is certainly the "why" of helping someone.

Everything else almost feels like [bike shedding](https://letsgochris.bandcamp.com/album/whiteout) when the question "Did I help someone today?" is the main guide.

Software is pretty expansive when it comes to this question, too!

Some days, that answer is "I helped a coworker debug a problem that's been slowing them down for weeks!" A deep and impactful day!

Some days, it's "I released a feature that will be used by thousands of people!" A broad impact sort of day.

The nice thing is, even on "low productivity days," we can answer affirmatively to that question in some dimension, if we're genuine.


Chris Padilla/Blog

On This Day